Napoli have turned down a £30 million bid for defender Kalidou Koulibaly according to Italian Newspaper, Corriere dello Sport.
The Senegalese international has been on Arsene Wenger’s radar for a while now and added fuel to the fire after enjoying a stunning season in Serie A.
But the 24-year-old has also been attracting the attention of new Chelsea and Bayern Munich, with reports suggesting that Carlo Ancelotti had a bid rejected by Napoli chief Aurelio De Laurentis.
The arrival of Granit Xhaka gives us an indication that Wenger could be prepared to delve a little deeper into his transfer kitty and mix it with the big boys and a defender is most certainly a priority for Arsenal after somewhat mixed performances from Per Mertesacker and Gabriel last season.
Mertesacker has only one year remaining on his contract, whilst first choice centre-back Laurent Koscielny isn’t getting any younger – the Frenchman turns 31 in September.
Koulibaly, who signed from Genk in 2014, was an integral part of Napoli’s impressive season as they conceded just 32 goals in 38 games in 2015/16.
The 24-year-old stands at 6″5 and won 81 headed duels over the course of last season, compared to the 52 won by Mertesacker, who stands an inch taller.
Koulibalywould certainly add some steel to Arsenal’s defence, which shipped far too many goals last season.
